Music is a beautiful phenomenon, its ability to evoke our emotions and feelings is a facet that remains a mystery. It doesn’t matter if it’s mainstream music or underground, if the music is good enough we resonate with it.
While music is a wonderful gift, unfortunately, it is equally a tricky game- as not every voice that matters gets heard, and not every voice that gets heard matters.
This is why we at The Upper Entertainment have taken the initiative to launch ‘The Upper Quintet’ -a recurring editorial series that targets underground artists In Africa; our little way of helping them navigate the competitive music industry. These songs are been selected by our able and qualified editors.
The goal is to use our platform to help propel these amazing yet unsung artists’ careers; citing five underground acts on weekly basis.
Femi & The Gang, Pholepreye, Brownish, SwtNektar- Tolongo
This song samples ‘Tolongo’ by King Sunny Ade & His African Beats. The record starts with a traditional percussive beat accompanied by a melodic bassline which then ushers in the sultry vocals of female singer, Pholapreye. She belts a gripping introductory verse followed by a catchy chorus which is sung in the Yoruba language. The conscious song also features rap verses from talented rapper, Brownish, soulful singer, Swtnektar, and Femi himself. The song basically speaks about patience, and perseverance whilst realizing that each man is on his own journey in life, hence zero need for competition.
Taken- Para
‘Para’ by Taken is an Afro-pop song. The record is a feel-good record and it has a club-like vibe. Taken’s vocal tone exhibits a passion for his craft, you can tell he is enjoying the music he makes. The instrumentation is subtle but danceable; It makes you want to move your body yet is easy on the ears. The lyrics are geared towards body positivity- In the song, he appreciates a woman’s physique. It is a melodious song worth listening to. Ultimately; ‘Para’ puts listeners in a mood- a positive mood.
Ya Minko- Temporary
Ya Minko is a Gabonese hip-hop artiste whose sound is a mix of sporadic vocal layering and hardcore instrumentations. ‘Temporary’ comes off the rapper’s debut project, ‘DEBRIEFING’.
On ‘Temporary’, The US-based artist speaks on human struggles and how ephemeral they are. The chorus of the song is re-affirming; a sort of self-actualization. The beat of this song drops in minute intervals with a drum-like sound as its base. It has a bop-like effect when you listen to it which allows you to move your head to the beat. It is a rap song immersed in melodies.
August Weather- The End
Talented Nigerian producer and singer-songwriter, August Weather drops his first single of the year titled, ‘The End’. The London-based artist weighs in deeply on real-life themes such as fear, finding purpose, moving on, and taking responsibility for actions or inactions. The slow-metered alternative hip-hop jive was produced by the man himself.
Bruzieee- Afrobeast (E. P)
Bruzieee is a conscious music artist who uses his voice to tackle and emphasize the experiences of an average Nigerian youth from police brutality to corruption, and poverty. His recent project, ‘Afrobeast‘ dwells on this path, as the body of work is a satirical oeuvre that is worth every listen.
